Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Human Sleep Under the Influence of a GSM 1800 Electromagnetic Far Field. med./bio.

By: Hinrichs H, Heinze HJ, Rotte M

Published in: Somnologie (Somnology) 2005; 9 (4): 185-191

Journal

Aim of study (acc. to author)

The aim of the study was to identify such effects in the context of electromagnetic fields emitted by base stations on sleep.

Endpoint

sleep: sleeping profile

Exposure

- mobile communications
- GSM

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: 1,800 MHz Modulation type: pulsed Exposure duration: continuous for about 8 h during 2 out of 4 nights	electric field strength: 30 V/m unspecified power density: 2.3 W/m² unspecified SAR: 72 mW/kg maximum (10 g)

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Frequency	1,800 MHz
Type	electromagnetic field
Charakteristic	far field
Polarization	linear
Exposure duration	continuous for about 8 h during 2 out of 4 nights
Additional info	vertically polarized

Modulation

Modulation type	pulsed
Repetition frequency	1,736 Hz

Exposure setup

Exposure source	Eurocell flat panel antenna, signal generator
Distance between exposed object and exposure source	1.5 m
Chamber	Dedicated chamber (2 m x 1.4 m x 2 m) with the walls and the ceiling covered by EMF absorbing foam pads (< -20 dB at 1.7 GHz) and one wall left open for exposure.
Setup	The antenna was positioned in front of the bed at a distance of 1.5 m to the subject's head.
Additional info	The experiment was designed as a crossover study under double-blind conditions. After an adaptation night, the field was activated randomly for 2 out of 4 consecutive nights.

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
electric field strength	30 V/m	unspecified	measured	-	-
power density	2.3 W/m²	unspecified	measured	-	-
SAR	72 mW/kg	maximum	estimated	10 g	-

Additional parameter details

The level of the ambient high-frequency noise (measured with a YAGI antenna) was not greater than -60 dB over the range 100-1200 MHz compared to the GSM field.

Measurement and calculation details

The homogeneity of the resulting far-field characteristic was measured to vary by not more than 3 dB around its mean value over an area of 35 x 50 cm² centred around the average position of the subject's head. The resulting maximum SAR was estimated based on recent SAR calculations reported in the reference article.

Reference articles

Zwamborn APM et al. (2003): Effects of Global Communication system radio-frequency fields on Well Being and Cognitive Functions of human subjects with and without subjective complaints.

Exposed system:

human
whole body: 1.5 m of the head (far field)

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

sleep: polysomnography (EEG, EMG, EOG); different sleep parameters (e.g. percentage of the different sleep stages, REM sleep latency, sleep efficiency index)

Investigated system:

investigation on living organism

Investigated organ system:

brain/CNS

Time of investigation:

before exposure
during exposure
after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

The results failed to detect any statistically significant effect of a far field GSM electromagnetic field exposure on human sleep.

Study character:

medical/biological study
experimental study
full/main study
double-blind cross-over study

Study funded by

E-Plus Company, Germany

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